Dispensing carton



Nov. 16, 1943. F. 1 BRoz-:REN ET Al. 2,334,536

DISPENSING CARTON Filed March 30, 1943 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 16, 1943 AUNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE ,QISPENSING CAILTON Frank L. Broeren, Neenah, and Byron iT. Hoffmaster, Menasha, Wis., yassignors to Marathon Paper Mills Company, Rothschild, Wis., .a corporation of Wisconsin Application March so, 19.43, serial No. A41:1,124

(ci. zoe- 57) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a carton for holding a stack of interfolded sheets, the carton v.being provided with means :for dispensing kone sheet at a time from the carton while retainingk the remainder of the stack of sheets in the carton.

In previous constructions difliculty has been encountered during the dispensing of individual sheets from the `carton because the interfolded sheet succeeding the foremost sheet withdrawn has a tendency to cling to the foremost sheet causing removal of more than one sheet at a time. According to the present invention, this diflculty has been overcome by providing a pair of opposed resiliently hinged naps bordering on the dispensing opening Awhich resiliently engage the individual sheets as they vare withdrawn and retain the sheet succeeding the foremost sheet froml being withdrawn when the foremost sheet is dispensed.

Further advantages and details of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawing wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing carton yembodying the features of the present invention,

-' Figure 2 is a similar view showing the tear-- out..strip removed for permitting dispensing individual sheets contained within the carton,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton of Figure 1 is made, and

Figure 6 is a fragmental perspective view of the carton showing the first step in removing the tear-out strip.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

carton is formed from a single blank of suitable sheet material, such as cardboard and the like, suitably out and scored as shown in Figure 5 to provide rear panel I0, bottom panel II, front panel (consisting of panel portions I2, I3 and I4), top panel I5. extension panel I6 and glue panel Il. are hingedly connected to the rear, bottom, front and top panels, respectively, to provide end closures for the carton. The front panel is provided With top and bottom score `lines 28 to form an upper panel portion I4 vand lower panel portion I2.

The intermediate front panel portion I3 is adapted to be removed to provide a ldispensing opening. For this purpose the intermediate panel portion is provided with two opposed ar.

cuate-shaped tearing lines .which are .continuously slit or cut at each end 26 for a substantial distance inwardly and are continued as a series of spaced cut scores .or perforations 2,5 intermediate the slit end portions. Continuous cut scorelines 29 are also provided which intersect the cut score lines 25 at right angles thereto at each of the ends of the intermediate front panel portion as shown in ,Figure v5 `and extend to the score lines 28. The cut score lines'25 yare joined by a series of spaced perforations indicated by numeral 21. The Score lines described form an integral -elongated substantially oval-shaped tear-out strip I3 which is adapted to be torn out when the carton is used to form ya dispensing opening extending the `full width of the front wall, preferably at its intermediate portion; The

, corner portions '3l of the intermediate front panel are adapted to be depressed since they are disconnected from vthe panel vby cut slits 25 and .3L

If desired, the rear panel `I 0 `may also be formed with similar scores as on the front` panel-for providing a second dispensing opening for the carton. The top panel I5 'has hingedly connected thereto an extension panel I6, to which in .turn is .hingedly connected a glue panel 4l. The glue panel is adapted to be folded back on panel I6 to provide a grasping portion in the event it is desired to open the carton for removing the entire stack of sheets therein through the top.

In forming the carton from the blank shown in Figure 1, glue panel 41 is first folded over on the inner face of extension panel I6 and glued thereto. Rear panel IIl is then folded over on' the blank-seas to overlap panel I3. Top panel I5 is then foldedfover `to overlap panel I3 and glue panel Il is adhered to the overlapped outer marginal portion .of panel I 0 in the relation shown in Figures .1 and 4.

One end of the carton is then formed by folding flaps I8 and 20 in opposed relation ,at right angles to their adjacent panels. Flap Il is then folded over into .contact with vflaps I8 and- 20. Flap I9 is then folded vover and `adhered to flap I1'. Astack of interfolded sheets 5D is then placed in the carton through the open end and the Vflaps `I8 and 20 are folded over the adjacent end of the stack of sheets.. Flaps I9 and 20 are then folded over in sequence, flap 2U being adhered to flap I1, thereby completely sealing the carton, as shown in Figure 1.

In using the carton for dispensing single sheets, a pair of corner 'portions 3| at one end of the front panel are depressed by the fingers, as shownI 2 in Figure 6, whereby it is possible to grasp the cut free edges of 'the tear-out strip I3 formed by the cut slits 2B. The end of the tear-out strip is then torn out rst along the perforated line 21, then along the`opposed pair of perforated lines 25, and nally along perforated line 21 at the other end of the front panel. A dispensing opening is thereby provided in the intermediate front panel of the carton as shown in Figure 2, extending the full length of the panel.

I'he foremost sheet A of a stack of interfolded sheets 50 may then be removed from the carton without disturbing the remaining sheets retained in the carton. After the integral tear-out strip I3 is removed it will be noted in Figure 2 that an upper flap portion 60 and a lower ap portion 6l are provided which are resiliently hinged along score'lines Il to the upper and lower panel portions, respectively of the front panel. The free exposed edges of the flaps 60 and 6| extend short of each other when fully extended as shown in Figure 2.

These opposed resiliently hinged aps thus border on the opposed upper and lower marginal edges of the dispensing opening and resiliently engage the individual sheets A as they are withdrawn. Hinged flaps 6U and 6I have opposed arcuate-shaped free edges and serve to frictionally engage and hold back the sheet succeeding the foremost sheet A when the latter is withdrawn through the dispensing opening. The flaps are adapted to hinge outwardly along score line 28 when the foremost sheet is withdrawn since they are disconnected at their ends by cut slits 29 and when tension on the outwardly hinged iiap is relieved upon complete removal of the foremost sheet, the flaps will tend to resiliently spring back toward the front panel and engage the next succeeding sheet within the carton. This construction very'effeotively prevents withdrawal of more than one sheet at a time through the dispensing opening, particularly when a stack of interfolded slipperysheets of waxed paper is packaged in the carton.

Changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and construction of the carton without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should therefore be determined by reference to the appended claims.

We claim:

` 1. A carton for holding and dispensing a stack l of interfolded sheets having a front, rear, bottom and side panels, said front panel being provided with opposed arcuatelshaped lines of tearing which dene an elongated oval-shaped integral removable tear-out portion adapted to be torn out of said front panel to form a dispensing opening extending for the full width of said front panel, the ends of said arcuate-shaped lines being cut for a substantial length to facilitate ini- .tial tearing of said tear-out portion, score lines provided in said front panel to .form aps resiliently hinged at the opposed upper and lower marginal edges of said dispensing opening and having the free exposed edges of said flaps extending short of each other, said flaps adapted to resiliently engage the foremost individual sheetl of the stack whenlwithdrawn through the dispensing opening and hold back the next succeeding sheet.

2. A carton for holding and dispensing a stack of interfolded sheets having a front, rear, bottom and side panels, said front panel being provided with opposed arcuate-shaped lines of tearing which dene an elongated integral removable oval-shaped tear-out portion adapted to be torn out of said front panel to form a dispensing opening extending for the full width of said front panel, the ends of said arcuate-shaped lines being cut inwardly for a substantial length, cut score lines intersecting the ends of said lines of tearing to form depressible portions in said front panel adjacent the ends of said tear-out portion to permit grasping.- the ends of the tear-out portion, parallel score lines provided in said front panel spaced from said arcuate-shaped lines of tearing and extending the full width of said front panel to forni iaps resiliently hinged at the opposed upper and lower marginal edges of said dispensing opening and having the free exposed edges of said flaps extending short of each other, said iiaps adapted to resiliently engage the foremost sheet of the stack when withdrawn through the dispensing opening and hold back the next succeeding sheet within the carton.A

FRANK L. BROEREN. BYRON-T. HOFFMASTER. 

